FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates a configuration of an example of a conventional push switch of this type, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid- Open No. H02-072526 (issued on Mar. 12, 1990). FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the switch. The switch 10 includes an actuator housing portion 11, a pushbutton 12, an actuator cam follower 13, a return spring 14, a rotary contact carrier 16 holding a rotary contact element 15, a stationary contract housing portion 18 provided with stationary contact elements 17, and an enclosure portion 19.
In this example, when the pushbutton 12 is depressed, the actuator cam follower 13 is moved downward to a predetermined position by the pushbutton 12, then rotates. The rotation rotates the rotary contact carrier 16 engaged with the actuator cam follower 13 to connect and disconnect a rotary contact portion of the rotary contact element 15 with a stationary contact portion of the stationary contact elements 17.
The rotation of the actuator cam follower 13 is caused by means of an offset of longitudinal axes of the pushbutton 12 and the teeth of the actuator cam follower 13 and cam surfaces provided on the pushbutton 12 and on the actuator cam follower 13. The rotary contact carrier 16 has a square-shaped stem 16a received within a square cavity formed in the actuator cam follower 13. The actuator cam follower 13 is free to move linearly over the stem 16a. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the above-described switches 10 mounted on a circuit board 20. In FIG. 2, three switches 10 are mounted on the circuit board 20.
The pushbutton 12, the actuator cam follower 13 and the rotary contact carrier 16 which holds the rotary contact element 15 are arranged in a straight line and the actuator cam follower 13 and the pushbutton 12 are stacked in this order on the rotary contact carrier 16. Accordingly, the switch 10 inevitably has a high profile and is not able to meet the need for a demand for reducing the profile of this type of push switch.